1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stand-type air conditioner, and more particularly, to a stand-type air conditioner which allows cold air or hot air to be selectively discharged near the ground as well as to an upper side.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, an air conditioner keeps a room temperature comfortable by using a freezing cycle comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator. In the air conditioner, the compressor compresses a refrigerant to increase pressure of the refrigerant up to saturation pressure and then the condenser absorbs heat which the high-pressure refrigerant has by using water or air to thereby liquefy the refrigerant. Decompressed by the expansion valve, the liquefied refrigerant flows into the evaporator, is evaporated and exchanges heat with indoor air, so that the indoor air can be kept comfortable. The air conditioner is classified into an integral type and a split type according to whether or not an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are coupled with each other. Moreover, according to installations of the indoor unit, the split type is divided into a wall-mounted type in which the air conditioner is fixedly installed at a wall surface and a stand-type in which the air conditioner stands on a floor.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit of the conventional stand-type air conditioner. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the indoor unit of the conventional stand-type air conditioner.
As shown therein, the indoor unit of the conventional stand-type air conditioner (hereinafter, called “Stand-type air conditioner”) includes: a casing 1, a blower fan 2 installed at a lower portion of the inside of the casing 1 and sucking/discharging air; an evaporator 3 installed at an upper portion of the inside of the casing 1 and cooling the air having been sent from the blower fan 2 by exchanging heat with the air; and a flow channel guide (not shown) interposed between the blower fan 2 and the evaporator 3 and guiding the air sucked/discharged to/from the blower fan 2 to the evaporator 3.
In the casing 1, an air suction unit 1a for sucking air is formed at a front surface of the lower portion of the casing 1 and an air discharge unit 1b for discharging the heat-exchanged air is formed at a front surface or a side surface of the upper portion of the casing 1.
The blower fan 2 is a turbo fan, a kind of centrifugal fan, for sucking air through the air suction unit 1a, and pressing and discharging the air, and it is coupled with a fan motor (not shown).
The flow channel guide is formed as a streamline using styrofoam or plastic materials, in which its surface is mostly formed to be flat such that air can be smoothly sent toward the evaporator 3.
However, in the conventional stand-type air conditioner, cold air or hot air is discharged only to an upper portion. Accordingly, in case of cooling, cold air discharged from the air conditioner is heavier than that of indoor air to thereby convey the cold air as far as an indoor floor surface, which allows uniform cooling. On the other hand, in case of heating, hot air is lighter than indoor air not to thereby convey the hot air as far as the floor surface, which makes uniform heating difficult.